First Look: Virginia's ranked 2028 prospects, Part 1

With the season only a little over two months away, I wanted to take a first look at some of the ranked prospects in the 2028 class. Today is Part 1.    Minor has the prototypical size that P4 schools are looking for. He plays right tackle, but based on his build, could easily slide to the inside. He's a dominant run blocker who has a natural mauler build. Eli's 2025 show that he is solid when it comes to down blocks, combo blocks, and moving defenders by drive blocking them 5-10 yards downfield. There's enough of a sample size to see that he has a good pass set , uses his hands to keep defenders off his body, and is agile enough to mirror edge rushers. The most impressive highlight might be of him hustling 50-plus yards downfield to throw a block for his running back who broke on a long run. Everybody loves a high-effort guy. Would like to see more video (probably drill work) that shows a bigger picture of how mobile and agile he really is.     Note: Blankenship is now at Episcopal School in Virginia. He plays multiple positions on the line: offensive center and guard, and defensive tackle. I'll be focusing on him as a defensive lineman in this evaluation. Undersized but compactly built, he's quick enough to shoot the gap on a consistent basis and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Could work on his short-are burst a little more. Plays strong, several plays show him holding the intial block and then shedding to go make a play. High effort guy, consistently around the football and is always in pursuit. Will need to add even more strength and weight to deal with what most likely be bigger linemen in the trenches this upcoming season.     Maye's highlights are a nice mix of him competing at both the wide receiver and cornerback positions. An added plus is the plays showcasing him as an effective kick and punt returner. Knows how to get open against zone looks by adjusting his routes once he sees what the defense is trying to do to stop him. I like his hands and ball skills. There's one highlight where is makes a great adjustment to an off-target throw where he ends up making a back shoulder catch. From a defensive standpoint, there are several plays that show he's a ballhawk. Maye has multiple interceptions, including one off a tipped pass, another one on top of a deep route, and another one that ended up as a pick-six. Just an all-around versatile player who makes big contributions to his team. If I were to guess, his biggest upside will be on the defensive side of the football.     Powell is one of those players who will most likely shoot up the rankings ladder sooner than later. His early offer lists includes Maryland, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Syracuse, and Penn State. There is a whole lot to like about Powell as a prospect. Powell has elite size and power to go along with some athleticism. He's a dominant run blockers. Whether it's pancakes, sustained drive blocks down field, or just second-level destruction of backers, he's getting people out of his way. Powell is powerful at the point of attack with strong hands and good leverage. I think it's impressive that a guy his size is able to pull with ease and anihlate targets at the first and second level. Powell shows good active hands in pass protection and keeps defenders off balance. The best is yet to come for Powell.

With the season only a little over two months away, I wanted to take a first look at some of the ranked prospects in the 2028 class. Today is Part 1.